Los Angeles School Board Buys Out Britton’s Contract

The Los Angeles Unified School District narrowly avoided bankruptcy last month by cutting $200 million from its current operating budget on the eve of its new fiscal year. However, it has only put a Band-Aid on a financial cancer caused by shrinking revenues, rising costs and bloated administrative salaries. In fact, the board must cut yet another $100 million from next year’s budget.

The cuts that have been made will severely weaken an already deficient educational system. And who pays the price? The children.

While the school board is cutting much-needed services, it has announced plans to use funds from the very same operating budget to pay whatever additional money is required over and above the $50 million allocated by the state for acquisition of the Ambassador Hotel property. We estimate, and local real estate experts agree, that it will cost at least another $100 million.

The mayor, City Council, countless community and business groups, and members of the news media have urged the board not to make this disastrous mistake and take the Ambassador property. This 23-acre site in the heart of Los Angeles could, if developed properly, drive the revitalization of the mid-Wilshire area, a revitalization that will create tens of thousands of jobs and generate tens of millions of dollars in new tax revenues for the city.

Such common sense and logic has been lost on board President Jackie Goldberg and the members of the school board. Clearly, one or more schools placed in better mid-city locations than the Ambassador property could provide community facilities and amenities to areas that have no playgrounds or public gathering spaces. And, this could be accomplished for substantially less money and in much shorter time.

Sadly, it is obvious that based on the board’s conduct with the Ambassador property, Los Angeles will not have a new school for many years to come. Instead, the LAUSD will be forced to cut more teachers to pay its legal bills pursuing the impossible dream of “Ambassador High.”

BARBARA A. RES

Executive Vice President

The Trump Organization

New York